Friday 27 May 2011

Chelsea 2011: my visit - the Great Pavillion

The show gardens and the designers get a lot of attention at Chelsea, but of course they would be nothing without the plants. I always enjoy visiting the Great Pavillion, where nurseries display their plants in some very creative ways. I also have a tendancy to salivate and there is lots of I want, I want's...

As mentioned in the previous blog about the gardens, Salvia nemorosa caradona was a big hit in many of the gardens, and it was a big hit with me. I love Salvia's, I love purple, and this is a salvia and it's purple.

on my shopping list

There was Anchusa 'Loddon Royalist', which yes, has been around for ages, seeing it again reminded me how pretty it was, so another 'must have'.


There is a new Astrantia to go on my list, 'Burgundy Manor' from Hardy's, which I will get when it becomes available.

A plant clearly named after me...

See, pretty flower, great name, and goes perfectly with Salvia nemorosa Caradona. It's meant to be.

Lavender, lavender, lavender, from Downderry Nurseries. More wanting... 


Actually, I picked up some seed from them for the Spanish Lavender, pedunculata, which I look forward to growing.

The elegant Iris Laevigata.
 Iris laevigata (from the Literary Garden)

Besides all the wants, I also generally enjoyed some of the displays. Here is an excellent one from the Heucheraholics...
How many Heuchera's can one have? Lots!

And vegetables get a look in too...
 
W. Robinson vegetable stand. Such fun!

Then there was the totally LOOK AT ME displays, such as this one from Thailand...

whoa!

So Chelsea 2011 gave me lots of enjoyment and many ideas to add to my [plant] pot.